Trillanes: Duterte’s order to AMLC ‘just political bluff’

MANILA, Philippines – “Political bluff.”

This was how Senator Antonio Trillanes IV described President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to produce documents showing his net worth.

“Political bluff lang ‘yang panawagan n’ya sa AMLC kasi alam n’ya na hindi naman ito gagalaw basta-basta ng walang formal written request. At kahit na meron man, hindi mandato ng AMLC na magbilang ng net worth ng sino man,” Trillanes said in a statement on Saturday, February 18.

(His order to the AMLC is just political bluff because he knows the council won’t move hastily without a formal written request. And even if there is a request, it is not AMLC’s mandate to count someone’s net worth.)

Duterte made the order after Trillanes revived his accusation that the President had as much as P2.4 billion in bank accounts which he failed to declare in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.

On Friday, February 17, Duterte called the allegations a “rehash” and “pure garbage,” but he insisted that he and members of his family never obtained money illegally.

He offered to resign as President if the senator can prove his allegations.

Trillanes on Saturday urged Duterte to open his bank accounts if he has nothing to hide.

“Kaya ang pinakamadali ay pumirma siya ng waiver ng bank secrecy na addressed sa bangko para makita ng publiko ang transaction history ng mga accounts n’ya. Tama na ‘yang mga bola mo Mr. President, buksan mo na kung wala kang tinatago,” he said.

(The easiest way is for him to sign a waiver of bank secrecy addressed to the bank so that the public can see the transaction history of his accounts. Stop the talk, just open your bank accounts if you have nothing to hide.) – Rappler.com